As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.
Join the conversation
We encourage our readers to leave comments and engage in dialogue about our stories. But before you do, please check out our "rules of the road."
Recent Notebook Entries
Right Now On Notebook
By:
By:
Subscribe to catalyst-chicago.org by e-mail
Other Blogs
catalyst-chicago.org feeds
Current Issue
Legislators grill Brizard on school closings, turnarounds
By: Jim Broadway / April 02, 2012
SPRINGFIELD -- Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and members of his staff were grilled for more than two hours by legislators who sharply questioned the district’s decision-making on school closings and turnarounds and called for a summit of the CPS facilities task force.
Brizard, who appeared respectful but assertive at the hearing last week, agreed with legislators about the ultimate goals for schools, neighborhoods and children and responded calmly to the harsh interrogation with seemingly full command of his facts. But he failed to quell the anger that state legislators from Chicago feel about closings and turnarounds, which they characterized as precipitous, disruptive of school neighborhoods, harmful to students and perhaps, even racially biased.
The legislators accused CPS of circumventing and marginalizing local school councils, of failing to respect the “culture” of Chicago neighborhoods and of purposely causing schools to fail and then closing them to facilitate change that is unrelated to education—essentially, to invite gentrification.
So the war is not over. After the hearing, House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Chair Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia told Brizard that more testimony is required, especially testimony “from the community.”
Chapa LaVia, state Sen. Iris Martinez and state Rep. Cynthia Soto – leaders in ongoing legislative efforts to change the district’s process for deciding on school actions – agreed that a “summit hearing” of the Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force must be scheduled soon.
Brizard apologized Thursday for not appearing at a previous committee hearing on March 26, saying “The last thing we want to do is disrespect any members of this committee.” He cited some CPS successes, such as the 94 schools that made the Illinois Honor Roll. But, he noted, “Too many of our schools have for too long failed to help our children succeed academically.”
He went on to note statistics, such as the fact that more than 120,000 students attend low-achieving schools, dropout rates remain high and the achievement gap between students of color and white students is “climbing to the high double digits, bucking national trends.”
“This is my 26th year [in education] and what I’m seeing is a system that’s doing well for some kids and not doing well for a lot of other kids,” Brizard said.
Dispute over community input
Recalling his arrival at CPS last May, Brizard said officials “knew we had to do something right away” to address the problem at failing schools and asserted that the administration wanted “to exceed the requirements of the law” in terms of getting community engagement into decisions.
At that point, Brizard may have lost Martinez, who, in a rare occurrence, was permitted to sit in on the House committee and question witnesses. Martinez was the chief sponsor of SB 630 (now P.A. 97-474), which requires CPS to adopt an Educational Facility Master Plan to guide its school closing and turnaround actions.
“I don’t think the new board and the new administration really let this bill resonate the way it should have,” Martinez told Brizard. “It was just signed [into law] in August of last year and, on December 1, you already had [made closing and turnaround] decisions on 17 schools.” She questioned whether CPS leaders were “carefully looking at every school and what was going on in that area.”
For example, referring to a co-location of two existing schools into the same building, Martinez said “You can’t put a Level 3 school [the lowest-performing category] into another Level 3 school. Our anger with this process is that we don’t think that everything was carefully looked at.”
Martinez noted that she and Soto worked for 18 months with the Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force to identify “best practices” for effective school interventions and suggested that CPS ignored those findings in its hurry to close and turnaround schools. The task force made its final recommendations in March. Martinez and Soto both have filed bills this year calling for a moratorium on school actions through the 2013-2014 school year.
“Some of the things that you said as far as engagement and going to public hearings in these schools – that did not happen, you know it and I know it,” Martinez asserted. To that, the audience applauded and Chapa LaVia made the first of several request for participants to be “more respectful.”
Brizard fought back. “We had a hundred meetings before the actions and a hundred after the guidelines were distributed,” he told the committee. “I am not an arrogant person. I will never tell you we can’t do better. It can. It has to get better, because this stuff is never easy.”
While a school closing or turnaround can affect “sometimes entire families,” Brizard said his administration wanted to do something quickly to improve schools. Some of the decisions did not require much deliberation, he suggested, pointing out that one of the recently closed schools “had been listed for years as the worst school in the entire state of Illinois.”
Martinez was pretty harsh with Brizard, but no harsher than other legislators in the room.
Rep. Kenneth Dunkin commented at length, returning over and over to the need for CPS to “show some respect” for citizens and the General Assembly. Rep. Luis Arroyo challenged CPS to testify before legislative committees as a condition of receiving state funds. Current law does not require CPS to testify, but Arroyo filed a bill this year to change that policy.
Rep. Monique Davis complained about the narrowing of curricula at CPS schools. “There’s a lot of scripted lessons and there’s a lot of testing going on. The children are not being allowed to grow as whole people,” Davis said. “They’re not learning poetry. They’re not participating in drama. They have no art.”
Race becomes an issue
Davis also criticized the district for having too few people at the decision–making table “with a cultural sensitivity to the people being served.” As a parting shot, she demanded that the district “stop pushing out older African American teachers. I want you to stop it. Stop it.”
And on it went. Rep. Mary Flowers charged that the schools CPS has closed have been on the south side of the city or have affected just “Latino or brown” communities. “Can you tell me what European or Caucasian school that you have closed or turned around?”
Brizard said that race and ethnicity are unrelated to decisions about interventions, but Flowers continued on a roll. Brizard tried to respond, but could not.
Children are not being prepared for college or for jobs, Flowers said, a situation that will cost the state down the road because they won’t have jobs and pay taxes. No other industry, she added, can produce as many “defective products” as CPS and “continue to command the audience that you do and receive the monies that the state gives to the Chicago Public Schools and/or to the Board of Education.”
a great and detailed report
Jim really did some excellent reporting in that piece. I felt like l had been sitting in the committee room.
Rod Estvan
sb7
Hasnt this meeting opened the eyes of our state legislature...why dont they ask themselves
1) why does cps have autonomy
2) why are cps teachers given less rights, when it's obvious this school system doesnt even respect parents
3) We need to change sb7 and give cps unions the SAME rights as all other state teachers??
After all this, even thought they know CPS is disfunctional...they still allow a law to stand the puts ALL the blame on CPS teachers????
Briszzard in Springfield
Great Report! As a member of the Chicago Education Faciliities Task Force, Local School Council Member at School of Leadership @ South Shore H.S., mother of five children (4sons & 1 daughter) all of whom attended and graduated from CPS schools, and a 20-year plus advocate for quality, equitable, and ACCOUNTABLE schools I am ENCOURAGED by our legislators who are displaying such courage by putting the "right-thing-to-do" over elections and other political aspirations. I nor most of my colleagues have not been ANTI - CPS School Actions (closing, phase-out, turnaround, new construction,reparis, etc.) but ANTI - CPS' lack of TRANSPARENCY, INCLUSION, AND PLANNING! As stated, given that CPS decided to take action on so many schools so soon and there are several schools that performed LOWER than those selected for actions this school year should bear witness that they (CPS) nor the Mayor are willing to partner with the residents of Chicago to develop a Master Facilities Plan that serves ALL students and communities across Chicago. I am fighting for ONE - CHICAGO where ALL children are challenged as individuals with potential, similar resources, a qualified, caring, and committed teacher to help them reach their greatest potential and SAFE passage where ever they go! We as taxpayers, PAY far too much for CPS to develop a PLAN among a FEW for MILLIONS! As with LSCs, we deserve a SEAT at the DECISION making table!
State needs to take some responsibility too
I find it ironic that the GA complains that the majority of schools facing closure/turnaround are in mostly poor, Hispanic and African American neighborhoods. That's where the poor schools are because in Illinois schools rely primarily on property taxes vs. state taxes. That's why New Trier spends 16k for students and CPS spends 9k. Take some responsibility for the mess you created and give CPS some credit for trying to pour resources into schools that have been neglected for years and decades! I may not agree with everything CPS is doing, but thinking about the GA managing anything school related makes me shudder.
"Grilling" is right on
I was present at this hearing, and Mr . Broadway did a good job reporting ! The CPS team of Brizard, Denoso, Sicat, etc were definitely grilled and squirming . Unfortunately there was very limited audience participation ( only 2-3 speakers), but hopefully at the Task Force hearing in the near future, they will get more !
RACE AND AGE DISCRIMINATION IS EVIDENT ND OBVIOUS AT CPS
In every category the race card looms it's ugly face at CPS.However, It's hasn't always been that way. For precisely one generation minorities and specially African Americans have been allowed to teach and become certified by the State of Illinois. Before Mayor Daley took over the school board, minority teachers taught in their perspective communities with little resistance. Although earlier accounts that date pre-70's I have heard that discriminatory practices were rampant at CPS as well as other school districts.
It appears that CPS has turned back the hands of time to a more sinister period where race was one of the qualifications for obtaining certification and employment as a teacher.
Currently African American teachers are only 19.5 of the teaching population with 18 schools closing in our community. In 1994 when Jackie Vaughn was president of the Chicago Teachers Union they were 54% of the population of about 30,000. This would make African American teachers about 16,000 (estimate) . Today we have dropped to 4,630 teachers. A loss of approximately 11,500 teachers.
Systematically teachers have dropped 1.7 to 2.0% annually since the year 2000.. Dropping from 29.5 to 19.5 in 2011 losing 1/3 of our teaching force under the Lewis administration. The data reflects a similar trend with students who have dropped annually 1.7 to 2.0 % annually with a loss of almost 50,000 African American students from CPS since the year 2000.
CPS attributes the drop in student and teacher populations to demographics and student mobility. However, last month former CPS CEO, Arne Duncan cited CPS as the most egregious system in American with regards to students suspensions and expulsions. African American students have 76% of the suspensions and are only 45% of the population.
The same trend applies when we look at the dismissal for "cause" cases with teachers. I requested a FOIA from CPS but they refused. This FOIA asked the number of African American teachers with E3's and the number brought up on charges. With only 19.5% of teachers left they receive over 65% (estimated) of the the dismissals for "Cause".
To say the least CPS has engaged in racial profiling of African American children and teachers and has totally disrespected the entire community.
We will need all hands on in regards to minority teachers who have been e-3rd and brought up on charges by CPS. We expect each and everyone of them to be put back to work based upon the discriminatory practices. This will happen with or without the blessing of the Chicago Teachers UNION to whom I have spoken at length about this over the years. They finally agreed to file an EEOC complaint a few months ago, however this is not enough and we need justice for each and everyone who have been lied on and mistreated by both CPS and the CTU.
Sorry for the TYPO- Race and Age Discrimination is Evident @CPS
In every category the race card looms it's ugly face at CPS.However, It's hasn't always been that way. For precisely one generation minorities and specially African Americans have been allowed to teach and become certified by the State of Illinois. Before Mayor Daley took over the school board, under the "Amendatory ACT" in 1995, minority teachers taught in their perspective communities with little resistance. Although earlier accounts that date pre-70's I have heard that discriminatory practices were rampant at CPS as well as other school districts.
It appears that CPS has turned back the hands of time to a more sinister period where race was one of the qualifications for obtaining certification and employment as a teacher.
Currently, African American teachers are only 19.5 of the teaching population with 18 schools closing in our community. In 1994 when Jackie Vaughn was president of the Chicago Teachers Union they were 54% of the population of about 30,000. This would make African American teachers about 16,000 (estimate) . Today we have dropped to 4,630 teachers. A loss of approximately 11,500 teachers.
Systematically teachers have dropped 1.7 to 2.0% annually since the year 2000.. Dropping from 29.5 to 19.5 in 2011 losing 1/3 of our teaching force under the Lewis administration. The data reflects a similar trend with students who have dropped annually 1.7 to 2.0 % annually with a loss of almost 50,000 African American students from CPS since the year 2000.
CPS attributes the drop in student and teacher populations to demographics and student mobility. However, last month former CPS CEO, Arne Duncan cited CPS as the most egregious system in American with regards to students suspensions and expulsions. African American students have 76% of the suspensions and are only 45% of the population.
The same trend applies when we look at the dismissal for "cause" cases with teachers. I requested a FOIA from CPS but they refused. This FOIA asked the number of African American teachers with E3's and the number brought up on charges. With only 19.5% of teachers left they receive over 65% (estimated) of the the dismissals for "Cause".
To say the least CPS has engaged in racial profiling of African American children and teachers and has totally disrespected the entire community.
We will need all hands on in regards to minority teachers who have been e-3rd and brought up on charges by CPS. We expect each and everyone of them to be put back to work based upon the discriminatory practices. This will happen with or without the blessing of the Chicago Teachers UNION to whom I have spoken at length about this over the years. They finally agreed to file an EEOC complaint a few months ago, however this is not enough and we need justice for each and everyone who have been lied , mistreated and fired by CPS
.
I
Dear Me
CPS has autonomy because the legislators did what our unions agreed on. The Illinois Federation , The Illinois Education Association and the Chicago all agreed that Senate Bill 7 was needed. We need to address the unions for this fiasco.
Read the article below;
http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/5203455-474/editorial--is-union-trying-...
sb7
Believe me! I have been fuming about this since it was passed! I had no hope in our government but when our "union brothers and sisters" allowed CPS to get the extra shaft....they did nothing to stand at our side! after CTU members have spent years sending a portion of our dues to them!!...so much for solidarity!!
African American Teachers
"In 1994 when Jackie Vaughn was president of the Chicago Teachers Union they were 54% of the population of about 30,000. This would make African American teachers about 16,000 (estimate) . Today we have dropped to 4,630 teachers. A loss of approximately 11,500 teachers."
Is that true? African Americans from about half of teachers twenty years ago to about a quarter today?
male teachers?
it's even worse for being a male elementary teacher? like 1 in 10
YES it's true !
Also in 2000 we were 40.5 % of teachers now we are 19.5%
It's all smoke and mirrors people...
I was at Central Office and the TAMS center on 35th a few days ago. These folks can't handle the realities of the Chicago communities. Brizard is young and his background, accomplishment-wise, is void of any spark. I noticed a lot of fresh grads running around from professional development activities and offices who, I can clearly tell will be fodder for a system that will chew them up in five to ten years. I was in a meeting where the University of Chicago was over-represented (Has anyone noticed that the UofC is involved in everything?) and the reps tossed about all this data, data, data. No one could tackle the real essence of why our children and schools are failing. These folk kept giving shout outs to the Duncans and Brizards when Brizard along with Emanuel have denounced their buddy Duncan every time they make statements about how bad things are and how they need to be turned around. Was he not at the helm for some years? This reflects on most of the CPS leadership team. Its all talk and shiny shine designed to blind the public from the fact that the majority of CPS leadership, past and present are/were incompetent. And I don't mean it in a negative way, it is just that they are not in touch and lack the real-world knowledge and experience of the majority of the families and students enrolled in the schools. These are people who for the most part are book-learned, and perhaps good-hearted but they need to step back and let the hardcore, senior educators who have the stamina still to advise and run things.
Now we get reports that cheating on the tests was not solely an Atlanta issue but is coiled around CPS and other cities as well. I meet students from these great turnaround schools all of the time yet they are unable to answer some of the most basic questions I was taught to know and later taught to my students. For example, my great niece attended Jones Prep and she says that she and other friends were not as prepared as they thought they were for college. She wants to know now (as an adult) who Freynd (he was principal) slept with to get that Blue Ribbon? When she found out he was over Turnaround she laughed and asked what does he know about turning anything around? She later went to apply at the board after graduating and said she was interviewed by a director who was not as old as she while others in the room were well-seasoned looking yet were reporting to this child.
I went through the trenches and I can tell you that times call for that transformative leadership that is rolled up in some of the old guard still hanging around CPS. (Not me because my mind is going and I am over 75). But even with a mind that is so old and tired I can see through the carnival CPS and public education has become. It is all so very sad.
regarding loss of black students
I thought this statistic "a loss of almost 50,000 African American students from CPS since the year 2000" was just stunning. It was so stunning that I checked ISBE's data sets to verify it, and it is correct. What is even more stunning is that this total count for CPS includes all charter school students, so the decline reflects movement of families out of the city in mass. Clearly these children were not moving to private schools.
I also agree with Rosita Chatonda that both of the major teacher unions in Illinois agreed with SB7. It reflects a real lack of interest in urban education on their part and was part of a plan to protect the interests of teachers outside of Chicago at the expense of teachers inside the city. Hardly what could be called solidarity was it.
Rod Estvan
to ray g
You hit it on the HEAD! I have never been downtown to the central office. However, you are so true. Many area heads are MBA's who never worked in a school before. They look at DATA as if it is just a matter of will to get the "numbers up!" We are not working with widgets, we are working with children.
However, whenever you disagree with you they always say its for "the children." For the Children is code word for Rahm, Duncan and Obama. However, the amazing thing is that their "elite educations" do nothing in organization. Thier PD's are disorganized and have no real theme. They produce no agenda's or statistics...just a lot of talk. They want us to run our classes efficiently..yet they can't even get the attention or teach adults. I think we need some, exuse the term, old timers like yourself to set these kids straight. Rember Huberman? I rest my case! Thank's for sticking up for the teahcers and putting my frustrations into words! You are SOOOOOOOOOOOO right!
Take the Time and do it Right
I'm afraid that taking him to the woodshed may only strengthen Mr. Brizzard's resolve like a spoiled child that does not get his way. I do not see how his way, or Mayor Emmanuel's, is helping children; it's merely feeding there enormous egos.
Effective teachers connect with students in immeasurable ways and it would be a crime for a great teacher to be removed for political v professional reasons (a type of profiling). Unions help students by allowing their teachers to prepare and practice above and beyond the mud slinging and machinations of the politically incorrect.
This regime has come in with the arrogant, yes arrogant Mr. Brizzard, agenda that they know what is best. Teachers take their direction from the people they serve, students. Its time for administrative types to do the same. A predetermined, lock step agenda disrespects students and their families. Communities are more caring and able than Mayor Emmanuel gives credit; he is not the "Great White Father". And teachers, united and free to practice with respect and professional consideration can deliver transformative professional development that will move mountains (and politically charged school systems). Enough drama, we have work to do.
Brizzard in Springfield
Of what use is "grilling Brizzard" while the true puppetmaster, Emauel stays above the fray?
He can make no impactful decisions without Emanuel's blessing. The real criticism should be of Emanuel & his handling of the situation at CPS. Stop focuing on the messenger and focus on the person who dictates the message.
The system will be as he waints it because he is pulling all the strings to the exclusion of the educators and the communities involved.
We need an elected school board answerable to the citizenry and a mayor who acts with compassion, understanding and wisdom.
The Deal
Here's the real deal. CPS needs to come out from under mayoral control. Every district in Illinois is doing better than 299 in most every area because their Mayors are not trying to dictate what should happen. The mayor and puppets like Brizard and Cawley are ruining Chicago public schools. It's ludicrous to have individuals without a type 75 in control of those who have one. Give me a break. the Mayor is not an educator and has enough to do with managing the city and the crime. The state needs to take away mayoral control of 299.
Tell it Sammy
There is no doubt whatsoever that we need an elected school board, and that we need to do it in a way as similar as possible to LSC elections, the main point being that money should play no part and provide no advantage in the election, just statements by the candidates and questions to them from the public at a forum for that purpose, but no debates between them. They answer to the public when elected so the public should be the only ones to question them before the election. The public evaluates them on the merit of their positions and on their qualifications to do the work. The candidates then understand that they will be held to account and expected to do what they stated before the election.
AS for unqualified adminitrators in CPS
She has no teaching certification, but is allowed to run a A SCHOOL EVEN A network.
Yes, they cannot teach in CPS, but they are telling teachers what to do in midway netwprk. why is this allowed?
JCB
My heart goes out to all the recipients of the Jean Claude Brizzard regime. Be strong, he shall not prevail. In solidarity, from Rochester, NY.
SB7 and the Facilities Task Force which failed to scrutinize CPS
First of all SB7, orchestrated by not only our Legislature but CTU demonstrates just how "unteacher friendly," these two groups are when it comes to looking out for the best interest of teachers. It is appalling how Chicago's teachers are being forced into foreclosure through the loss of their jobs by closing schools and turning schools around! Our teachers are forced into a declining life they sought to avoid by becoming educated sitting in public aid offices and going on unemployment. Teachers in Chicago would be better off without a union if this is what the result of their union dues has bargained for them! As for the Facilities Task Force, to suggest a moratorium after the fact you realize there is no power to stop closings and turnarounds seems to indicate there was nothing in the legislation to stop CPS's actions beforehand. Legislators are suppose to be professionals. They are paid as professionals and the public deserves much better. It seemed as though the final versions of 620 and 630 were a work of art and then when we really needed the strength of 630, it was not there! Do our legislators read what is put before them? Is there any kind of formula they use to put a bill to the test of being worthy of their support? Obviously not, and I hope what Chicago taxpayers is experiencing has not been the status quo! We need the people in Springfield to go to work on what will benefit the people who pay their salaries. You need to listen to Monique Davis a former educator! We need our legislators to work out deals that will enable our children to go to school without the fear of crossing gang lines that result in homicides. We need bills that are transparent in content and validity! I do not blame CPS, they held hearings and listened to the public which was all that was required of them!
All Unions in Illinois Agreed to this Fiasco!
The responsibility for protecting it's members lies with the unions. Legislators have a multitude of issues coming across their desk. That is why the depend on the sound advice of those whom we elect as teacher representatives. The unions secretly negotiated this deal without teachers voice and without the input of their members. Members found out after the DEAL was cut. This is a Wisconsin type bill that teachers did not have a chance to push back on. Instead of marching around the banks demanding TIF money, why hasn't the unions organized some resistance against this bill which makes teachers have a longer school day, (THERE'S NO STIPULATION ON HOW LONG) compromising teacher seniority for the "Right to Strike" and then getting a crappy strike deal where you've got to have 75% of the entire membership approving a strike where before it was 51% of the voting members. Who would agree to putting evaluations and performance over seniority with the unethical manner in which CPS treats teachers. OOPS I forgot , someone who doesn't know the time of day about working in "at risk" communities. Someone who obviously trusted these people. I remember one time the union president saying how "nice" Huberman was and how she "liked him". This was shortly after he had terminated 1359 of the best teachers in our system and refused to put them in the re-assignment pool. What a "NICE" guy. Our unions should be brought up on charges for failure to defend it"s members!
Ray G
You said It Ray G!
Inexperienced children are running everything and CPS and at the CTU. While the veteran teachers look on and shake their heads. The spoiled brats have ruined our entire system!
There you go letting our Legislators off the hook!
We pay our legislators to do the work for us. They do not have the unions hired on their staff, they have assistants that should be able to get them information on pros and cons on issues coming before them! Again, to vote on any issue based on hear say, based on someone other than those you should have hired who are capable of getting information for you on a personal basis is neglegent. I disagree with holding the unions responsible for informing legislators about situations pertaining to the lives of their constituents and above all our children. Now that this mess has occurred, let's hope it can be resolved for the benefit of teachers in School District 299 where things are ran differently than the rest of the state! Our first order of business is to get ISBE to put our district back under the auspices of the state as it should be. To divide this district up so that we can elect a school board and to run this district for the better of our children. It has never been so apparent than now with the issue of the school day that one size does not fit all. After listening to numerous parents and organizations at two board meetings try to get a comprimise for what is best for their children, no answer has been rendered to demonstrate that 299 is not the same and requires attention according to the constituency it is serving! One size does not fit all in 299, parents in each and every community deserve to be heard and to have actions put in place to make the educational experience for the children in their area beneficial. We, the taxpayers deserve representation from our elected officials and our school board that indicates knowledge of who needs to be served and those needs accordingly! Sorry Rosita, I know you want to blame the unions, but as a taxpayer I want to know that my elected officials are capable of gathering information and representing me in Springfield!
Whoever signed SB7 needs to be addressed
Dr. Hollingsworth,
I agree, whoever signed SB7 needs to be addressed and need to help us rescind aspects of this bill that erode teacher's collective bargaining rights.I hold everyone associated with signing this bill accountable. Thanks to Representative Monique Davis the only one, including our union presidents who vehemently opposed this legislation.( By the way she is a VETERAN educator ). Any aspects of SB7 that are aimed at District 299 teachers only should be addressed and looked at as discriminatory practice. We need a task force into the ill effects of SB7 and how it undermines the integrity of district 299 teachers immediately. CAUSE has a committee forming for this. Join us at PUSH every Tuesday @ 6:00 p.m. to help push back on this horrible legislation.
agree
Since when is demeaning teachers and lowering salaries almost as low as their morale going to help children? I have heard of schools in Detroit that are now going to be 240 days a year with hours 8-5 for teachers. On top of it they are going to hire about 1/4 of the staff as Teach for America teachers..who get paid less than 30k a year. Where are we headed? Is this happening to the police, the firemen, the legislatures? This is an attack.....and Obama....sadly is at the forefront of the attack!! More of a pontias pilot type of position..but he washes his hands of the crime...he lets Duncan, Gates, rRahm and other "grass roots" organizations do the work for him....while he claims to want to help the little man?? sad sad
To Agree
I Agree!
7PM on WBEZ
Call in and give Brizard an earful! 1st Thursday of every month is a call-in show.
What parent groups in Rochester..........
Can we contact to get the parents perspective on Brizard? I already have the 3 years of articles from "Chicago, here's your guide to Brizard" and thank you all for that! I wonder how this lemon dance of Broad Foundation failures keeps going, who the "executive" search firms are that keep recommending them. I smell a rat. These fools just keep circulating, leaving an expensive path of destruction in their wake.
Add your comment